Star Trek:

The Nara-Maru Files

Chapter One

Captain's Log, Stardate 46810.2

For several days the Enterprise has been in pursuit of an individual who for the last four years has been living on the fringes of Federation Space and Federation Law. A former Starfleet Officer who was disbanded from the service for the assault of a Starfleet Admiral. Our orders seemed to be simple at first, capture the vessel in question and escort the ship back to the nearest Starbase, unfortunately… every time we get close to the vessel… it seems to slip from our grasp. However, with the timely arrival of Lieutenant Commander Data from a temporary assignment with Starfleet Command, I have a feeling that it will go much smoother.

Stepping onto the Enterprise once more, Lieutenant Commander Data reported directly to the Captain's Ready Room as ordered while the frustrated Command Crew once again attempted to track down their seemingly impossible target once again. A small former Starfleet ship of 50 meters in length and 9 meters in height with a displacement of barely 230 metric tons along with a maximum warp which could out-run almost any Starfleet Vessel of its day. However, it was no the speed and size of the vessel which had the Enterprise crew seemingly chasing sensor shadows and false warp signatures, it appeared as if the now privately owned former Federation Fast-Scout had been modified with a sensor absorbing hull along with a warp engine design which left barely any trail in its wake and possibly even a cloaking device, making it a seemingly impossible target to track.

"Captain, Lieutenant Commander Data; reporting for duty sir"

"Mister Data, welcome back. I trust you have been kept up to date on our current assignment?"

"Commander Riker has kept me apprised of the situation sir" Data said as he sat down facing his Captain and long time friend.

"Excellent, I don' have to remind you that Admiral Hirayama places this as a top priority"

"No Captain, I believe that three Starfleet vessels have been called in to assist with the search?"

"Yes Commander, the USS Exeter, Hood and Bozeman have been called in to assist with the search"

"Captain if I may. I familiarised myself with the Starfleet profile before I arrived, Former Lieutenant Asami Hirayama trained as a Starship Engineer. While assigned to the USS Washington she assaulted Admiral William Mackenzie fracturing his nose, jaw and breaking several ribs. She was instantly arrested and taken back to Earth to stand trial during which she avoided serving time in a Federation Penal Colony by resigning from Starfleet. Two months later, she disappeared from Sector 001 after purchasing a small former Starfleet Vessel with which the Former Lieutenant in question, now evades us with" Data recited from his memory banks.

"Exactly Commander" Picard said as he sipped on his tea.

"For the past four years, she been working as a… Self-Employed Freighter Captain, reports from the Klingon Empire suggest that she is wanted within the Empire on several charges of smuggling although those charges have yet to be verified…" Data continued.

"Exactly. What isn't within those reports Commander, it is believed that Miss Hirayama is in possession of intelligence reports on Romulan Fleet movements and Starship schematics which she intends on selling to the highest bidder…"

"Starfleet… wants… those files?" Data said slowly.

"Indeed. Four Romulan Warbirds have been dispatched to locate and capture Miss Hirayama or destroy her vessel if required, I needn't remind you of the seriousness of this assignment Commander Data? If that information falls into the wrong hands, it could start an interstellar war. As a former Starfleet officer and the Daughter of a Starfleet Admiral, the Romulan Empire will look upon the Federation for retribution" Picard said with a serious look in his eye.

"Then I shall endeavour to locate Miss Hirayama as quickly as possible" Data said with a nod.

"Very good Commander"

Standing quickly, Data walked towards the door leading onto the bridge as Picard looked up with a smile as he spoke once more.

"Commander, welcome home"

Second officer's Personal Log, Stardate 46812.4

For forty-two hours we have been in pursuit of the Private Vessel as owned by Miss Asami Hirayama and so far it has been a challenging pursuit. It appears that each time we have the vessel in question within our sensor range we are in pursuit of nothing more then sensor shadows and false warp signatures. Nineteen hours ago, the USS Hood was believed to have the vessel in their sights yet it was little more then a long range probe launched by the Commander of the vessel itself. I believe that with a coordinated search, we can finally locate this most unusual vessel…

Pacing the bridge like an expectant father, Commander Riker monitored the search from every console he passed as the exhausted and frustrated crew. As he passed by the large Klingon Security Chief, he looked down upon the console before him much to Worf's displeasure as he growled to himself each time the First Officer passed by his console and looked over his shoulder until finally, his own frustration reached almost boiling point as he stood in the way of the First Officer on his next lap of the bridge.

"Commander! Would you mind not looking over my should EVERY TIME you pass by?"

"What, Was I? Sorry Mister Worf" Riker said quickly.

"Commander, each time you pass by the Science Station… you seem to look over my shoulder also" Data said quickly. "If we have anything, I assure you Commander Riker, I will alert you"

"Is that frustration in your voice Commander?" Riker said with a smile.

"No sir, merely stating a fact" Data replied quickly.

"Will, the tension level on this ship is high enough… let the crew do their jobs" Called out Deanna Troi with a half smile.

"Of course Deanna, I'm sorry everyone. I'll be in my quarters if I'm needed. Commander Data, you have the bridge" Riker said with a large yawn.

"Aye Sir" Data said from the Science Station.

After being on duty for almost fourteen hours straight, Commander Riker finally entered his quarters and collapsed onto his bed with exhaustion as he called out to the computer for a low level lighting and a track from his personal music collection. With a drink replicated cold beer on the side of his bed, he slowly pulled himself up towards the head of the bed as he seemingly slouched against the curvature of the window behind him as he picked up the much needed cold glass of beer and took a sip before letting out a loud sigh of enjoyment.

Slowly finishing off the drink, he felt his eyes growing heavy as finally he fell asleep until thirty minutes later he was awoken by the sound of Commander Data's voice echoing over the ships intercom speakers in his quarters.

"All Seniors, Please report to the bridge"

Groaning loudly, he tapped the communicator on his chest as he spoke. "This is Riker, on my way"

The journey towards the bridge felt like he was sleepwalking as he entered the turbolift and leaned against the wall as he called out his destination. Arriving on the bridge, the doors slid open as he remained motionless, leaning against the wall of the turbolift of Lieutenant Commander La Forge peered into the car with a large smile on his face at the sight of commander Riker leaning against the wall with his arms folded, his eyes closed and snoring loud enough for the Captain to look around and laugh at the sight of his First Officer.

"Commander. Commander Riker?" Geordie said loudly.

"What-What?" Riker said quickly, as he was shocked awake. "Of course…"

Straightening his tunic with embarrassment, he stepped off of the turbolift and walked towards his seat in the command section of the bridge as the crew covered their laughter with a badly hidden smile at his expense.

"Next time Commander, leave the bridge earlier" Picard said with a large smile.

"Aye sir…"

"Mister Data, please inform Commander Riker of your findings?" Picard said as he hid his own laughter badly.

"Yes Captain…" Replied the Android Officer as he stepped from the Science Station. "As you know Commander, for fully a week we have been tracking a supposedly… Rogue former Starfleet Officer. Each time the Enterprise or any Federation Starship has gotten close to the ship, it seemingly dissolves…"

"Thank you for stating the obvious Commander!" Riker said with a deep yawn, much to the amusement of Captain Picard.

"As you would say sir, we have been 'Looking in the wrong place'. Lieutenant Worf, please direct the viewscreen aft and with the Phasers on their lowest setting, please fire between the warp nacelles at the coordinates I have provided?"

"Aye sir!" Worf said with a smile.

The viewscreen instantly displayed an aft view of the Enterprise as a thin and low power Phaser strike erupted from the aft emitters and impacted on what appeared to be a small cloaked vessel before the tractor beam instantly locked onto the target as Riker ran his fingers through his hair and laughed with all of the frustration he had built up over the past several days. Almost instantly, a signal alerted Lieutenant Worf of a hail between the two ships as Picard nodded and the image changed from the warp nacelles to the face of a young woman leaning back in a chair with her arms folded and a large smile echoing across her face as she spoke.

"Well, it's about time. I've been back here over a week!"

"Miss Asami Hirayama?" Captain Picard said as he stood.

"Yes Captain, I've been monitoring you for a long time… and no, I don't have the… Intelligence reports that you're looking for, before you ask" She said with a laughter in her voice. "I take it that my mother has sent you off the beaten track to find me?"

"Yes Miss Hirayama…" Picard replied with frustration. "… We have word that two Romulan Ships are in this sector. Do you have any idea what that could mean for the Federation?"

"I can hesitate a guess Captain. I don't have, nor have I ever been in possession of Classified Romulan intelligence Captain Jean-Luc Picard and… before you ask, the charges made against me in the Klingon Empire are false, I am simply a freighter captain…" She said with an instant serious look on her face.

"Your vessel is equipped with a Cloaking Device Miss Hirayama… where did you procure it?" Data said quickly.

"In answer to your question Commander Data, I built it myself, it's really not that difficult you know? Most of what I have onboard my ship is either built by myself or payment for services that myself and this vessel have supplied" She said quickly. "And yes before you ask Commander Riker, it is all legal within the almighty 'Galactic Laws!' as a show of good faith between us, would you mind deactivating your tractor beam? I will shut down my cloak and come onboard your vessel of you require it"

"Of course. Mister Worf?" Picard said slowly.

"Deactivating tractor beams Captain" Worf replied.

With the beam deactivated, the tiny vessel decloaked and moved along side the Enterprise as Geordie looked at the tiny former Federation Starship with a large smile as he spoke.

"Would you look at that old Battle-Wagon. I've only read about those ships in the history files"

"Battle-Wagon?" Data said slowly. "Accessing… Ahh, a heavily armed combat vehicle such as a Chariot or Battleship…"

"Quite right Commander Data, now tell me Captain Picard… why has my mother sent the Federation Flagship to locate little-old-me?"

"You seem to be more then familiar with my crew Miss Hirayama" Picard said.

"Indeed I am Captain Picard, since I've been back here and had you all running in circles, I've had a chance to look over your personnel files. In answer of your next question Commander Riker, I've been back here for eight days"

"I find that hard to believe" Worf mumbled under his breath.

"It is… the truth Mister Worf. I will beam to transporter room two in twelve hours Captain Picard… It looks like Commander Riker is about to fall asleep on his chair. Although I'm sure we'd all get a kick from seeing him fall off his chair, I can tell he's a proud man…"

"And give you a chance to destroy any evidence of whatever files you have?" Riker yawned.

"As I said Commander, I have no files. I'll make you a deal, twelve hours I'll beam onboard as I say… in the meantime, I will… play guest to a crewmember of your choice?" She said with confidence.

"Very well Miss Hirayama. I shall send someone over shortly as a sign of good faith" Picard nodded.

"Great! I'm sending transport Coordinates now. Ohh, you may want to send over someone short or have whoever you choose to crouch… this ship has a low ceiling and it's a little cramped in here" Hirayama said with a laughter in her voice.

"As you wish. Enterprise… out!"

Twenty minutes later, a transporter beam activated inside the ship as a figure materialised seemingly sat down on the platform as the woman stepped towards the figure with her hand extended in greeting as she spoke.

"Lieutenant Commander La Forge? I take it that you're my guest and you lost the coin toss?"

"Lost? No, I won! It's not very often I get a chance to board one of these old ships. There's not even one in the fleet museum" He said as he stood slowly.

"She ain't much Commander, but she serves me well. Since you're my guest for the night, call me Sami"

"Of course. I'd like to take a… long… look around this ship, if you don't mind?" He said quickly.

"Sure. I think you'll be surprised of how fast the ol' girl really is, even with the hull modifications"

"Hull modifications?"

"Yes sir! Since I don't work for Starfleet anymore, I'm free to experiment with new designs… I've come up with a way of modifying the hull to take more of a punishment then she was designed to take. Some of the modifications are not exactly… Starfleet Standard… but this ol' girl can take punishment beyond most vessels of twice her size… hell, she'd give Enterprise a run for her money" She said as she led him out of the transporter bay.

"I find that hard to believe Sami" La Fore replied with a laugh.

"When you see it, you'll understand Commander. Ohh and no stealing my designs…" Asami said with a large smile as they walked through the corridors. "… Ohh just one thing La Forge, I feel I should warn you about my… business partner, she's an Iolian and highly telepathic, you may want to watch what you think around her"

"Thank you for the warning. But I've never heard of that species…"

"She's been onboard for about 3 years now, her home planet is on deep-range, close to the galactic rim. Her species are amazingly telepathic and their females well, their considered by just about everyone to be the most beautiful in the known galaxy. Just be careful okay, Teela has got quite a temper"

"I will remember that, thank you"

Twelve Hours Later…

Spending the night onboard the tiny former Starfleet Lieutenant Commander Geordie La Forge had spent most of his time with the unusual yet beautiful business partner of the vessel as he examined the ship's capabilities for himself. Although much of the systems they had installed where from different species, perhaps as payment in return for services with Cargo as Teela had often said, what he had found onboard the ship was beyond anything he could have imagined for such a small and old former Starship. Rescued from the mothball fleet by Asami Hirayama herself and extensively modified by both owner and business partner. The warp core of the vessel made it possible for the ship to exceed Warp seven and making the vessel faster then a Starfleet Runabout, although their shields where weak by comparison the vessel had been updated with a form of Ablative Hull Armour combined with an unusual layer of hull covering making the ship difficult to track as the Enterprise crew had recently discovered and combined with the cloaking systems they had built by themselves the vessel had become almost impossible to track.

It seemed strange as Asami and Teela sat in the briefing room of the Galaxy Class Starship as they had become used to the tiny and cramped former Archer Class ship designed over a century ago. With most of the interior removed or modified to make room for cargo, only the two quarters of the Captain and First Officer remained in the tiny ship as even the medical facilities had been moved to make more space for cargo as they two had even somehow purchased a small shuttlecraft of unknown origin for whatever use.

Sat across from the First Officer, the young alien woman could feel his eyes upon her as she sighed deeply while her companion spoke to the Captain.

"… I give you my word Captain Picard, we no Romulan intelligence onboard the 'Nara-Maru' Commander La Forge can verify that"

"It's true captain, I've been through their database, as far as I can tell from their flight plan, other then shadowing us for two weeks, they've been nowhere near Romulan Space"

"Then it's verified, you have been following us for two weeks" Picard said with a smile.

"Yes sir, they have" La Forge said quickly.

"I just want too know why you where sent to find me. I hardly doubt that Starfleet Command would send their Flagship to look for a little-girl such as me" Asami said with a smile. "Commander, please pay attention, your thoughts are being broadcast throughout this room, myself and Councillor Troi are not the only Telepaths in this room"

"What?" Riker said quickly. "You're a Betazoid?"

"No reason to be embarrassed Commander, Half human on my mother's side, my father was from Betazed. And My companion is Iolian a very telepathic species. Captain Picard, if you have no reason to hold me, then I believe that we shall be on our way" She said as she stood.

"Miss Hirayama, please take a seat" Picard said slowly.

Reaching for a control on the table before him, Picard activated the screen behind him as the face of an elderly oriental human female appeared on the screen as Asami laughed slightly.

"Hello Asami"

"Somehow, I know that you had something to do with this. But falsifying reports on charges against me? That's low even for you mother" She said quickly.

"Mother?" Teela said with shock.

"Yes Teela, Meet Vice Admiral Mayu Hirayama… my mother" Asami said quickly.

"Please, do not leave. We have much to discuss like the… trouble in the Borderlands?" Said the Admiral slowly.

"You got the flagship of the Federation to find me because of one little incident with a Suliban two years ago? You really are reaching mother" Asami laughed.

"You misunderstand the reason I have asked for you specifically daughter. Several weeks ago, a Starfleet Starship disappeared within the Briar Patch… it was simply a survey vessel…"

"Haven't seen it, besides… salvage rights on active Federation Starships are… dicey at best. We don't touch them"

"Please, allow me to continue. Two weeks ago, we where contacted by a man at Starbase 133 who claims to be in position of the ship and it's database which contains everything that anyone would need to know about a Starship and he plans to sell them to the highest bidder…"

"So why do you want me? Ohh let me guess, since Starfleet does not negotiate with terrorists or blackmailers, you want me to make the trade for you?" Asami said as she rolled her eyes.

"No, not exactly. Captain Picard?" She said with a smile.

"We've tracked the gentleman in question to a… facility outside of Federation Space a facility known as Rempak Anchorage…" Picard said slowly.

"NO! find someone else. Teela, let's go…" She said quickly as she stood.

"Is there a problem my daughter?" Called out the Admiral.

"If you've been keeping track of me as I think you have, then you'll know what the… PROBLEM is"

"It's a very large problem actually" Teela replied. "I don't think that we'll be welcome back there anytime soon"

"We know and we're willing to compensate you for your time" Picard said quickly as they reached the exit of the room.

"It's that important?" Teela said quickly.

"Yes, it is!" Replied Commander Riker.

"Okay, but if you want to hire us, we aren't cheap. You will pay for any fuel or equipment expended with duration of this venture, any damage to the Maru and you will repair it upon completion of this contract, you will pay us the full amount of 150 Bars of Latinum… standard contract for a… 'Snatch and Grab' Operation as I assume you want us to go in there and pull him out?" Teela said quickly.

"See why I made her my business partner?" Asami laughed. "Do we have a deal?"

"Why do you need Latinum Miss Hirayama?" Data said quickly.

"None of your concern Mister Data, now… Deal?"

"We have a deal…" Picard moaned slightly. "… Admiral, your daughter is a tough negotiator. I assume you will have her payment ready?"

"No! 110 bars and you're Permanent Starfleet File Cleaned… that is the best I can do Asami" Replied the Admiral.

"Done! Now, give me everything you have man. I assume your main shuttle bay is empty… or will be soon, I have some repairs to make before we begin. Clear your main flight deck Captain, I'm bringing my ship inside the Enterprise" Asami laughed.

"Forgive me for saying so Miss Hirayama, but your vessel will not fit inside the Enterprise" Data said slowly.

"Let us worry about that, we've made a few modifications too her over the years, she'll fit Commander…"